Samuel's Blog

Samuel’s Musicians Of The Week

December 3rd, 2006 at 05:35pm

It’s December, and that means the Musician(s) Of The Week award goes into Christmas mode for a while, and to get the ball rolling, the award this week goes to The Barenaked Ladies (one does have to wonder how many web filtering systems have just blocked access to this site) for their song Elf’s Lament.

I came across this song on Thursday when 2CC’s Mike Welsh asked me if I could track it down, apparently Lawsie played it a few years ago but never gave the name (surely if he gave the name he would have had to name the band…many people around the nation would have spat out their coffee). I managed to track it, and the lyrics, down and Welshie subsequently played it on Friday afternoon just before 6pm.

One thing that did strike me as perculiar when listening to the song is that one of the singers sounds an awful lot like Loadedog, who has an (almost) unique voice for a singer. I wasn’t going to mention that, but I thought it would be worthwhile seeing as the song lyrics seem awfully appropriate for a singer who sounds like someone who covered the latest anti-industrial relations laws rally…the fact that I’m on the other side of the fence to Loadedog on that issue is completely irrelevant, but probably also worth a mention.

Anyway, without further ado, the feature song, Elf’s Lament

I’m a man of reason, and they say “‘Tis the season to be jolly”
But it’s folly when you volley for position

Never in existence has there been such a resistance
To ideas meant to free us
If you could see us, then you’d listen

Toiling through the ages, making toys on garnished wages
There’s no union
We’re only through when we outdo the competition

I make toys, but I’ve got aspirations
Make some noise
Use your imagination
Girls and boys, before you wish for what you wish for
There’s a list for who’s been
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf

A full indentured servitude can reflect on one’s attitude
But that silly red hat just makes the fat man look outrageous

Absurd though it may seem, you know, I’ve heard there’s even been illegal doping
And though we’re coping, I just hope it’s not contagious

You try to start a movement, and you think you see improvement
But when thrown into the moment, we just don’t seem so courageous

I make toys, but I’ve got aspirations
Make some noise
Use your imagination
Girls and boys, before you wish for what you wish for
There’s a list for who’s been
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf

You look at yourself
You’re an elf
And the shelf is just filled with disappointing memories
Trends come and go, and your friends wanna know why you aren’t just happy making
crappy little gizmos
Every kid knows they’ll just throw this stuff away

We’re used to repetition, so we drew up a petition
We, the undersigned, feel undermined
Let’s redefine “employment”

We know that we’ve got leverage, so we’ll hand the fat man a beverage
And sit back while we attack the utter lack of our enjoyment

It may be tough to swallow, but our threats are far from hollow
He may thunder, but if he blunders, he may wonder where the toys went

I make toys, but I’ve got aspirations
Make some noise
Use your imagination
Girls and boys, before you wish for what you wish for
There’s a list for who’s been
Naughty or nice, but consider the price
Naughty or nice, but consider the price
Naughty or nice, but consider the price to an elf.

Samuel

Entry Filed under: The Sunday Share

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